Author Archives: janishaag

She’s a 74-year-old gal who’sjust laid an egg—literally— on an island called Midwayin the middle of the sea where her kind fly in to do just that—have babies. Wisdom seems to have outlived three mates,this albatross whom humans wait to … Continue reading →

(after William Carlos Williams’ “The Dance”) (for Donna Gail) Brightly colored gumballs fill glass-globeddispensers that bring me to stand againwith my little sister before a row of primarycolor temptations. Which one should receive ourprecious pennies? What if we get a … Continue reading →

Juicy crescenthangs low in the inkywestern sky tempting to popin the mouth as hungrywinter chases autumn’s last leavesstill hanging ontoa bit of sweetness before the fall

(for Dickie, for whom I am most gratitudinous,on this 35th anniversary) Grateful are the rich in spirit,we who remember that our cups overflow,that our lungs breathe without instructionor command, that our way has been paid,our paths paved by some we … Continue reading →

noun:1. The quality of being true;2. Something that is true: a universally accepted truth. ••• A universally accepted truth,much as amen means truly or so be it. Which is the trickything about faith— not being able to prove truthbut having … Continue reading →

Waiting for the hospice nurse to call back. Waiting to see if Mom can sleep more than 40 minutes.Waiting to see if the cramps ease up, the ones that feellike labor pains, she says, though she hasn’t laboredfor 64 years. … Continue reading →

Nothing gold can stay.—Robert Frost How timely that you havegoldened in fall— late fall at that—yourtiming excellent as leaf subsides to leaf,each brightening day a gift you dearly wantto unwrap. You are not wanting winter. Neitherdo we ever want the … Continue reading →

(for Mom) Let her become salt waterrushing over sand, pulling, pushing,energetic earth shaper, sculptor, and let her heart take one greatlast leap as the big ah-ha! seizes her,the I-get-it moment, she who dipped our baby feet in the sea,who held … Continue reading →

and turn againas the path windsunder high fog, under turning oaks,leaves so recently green,now goldening, some with edgestinged brown oror dark-splotched— the dark is coming—but on this first dayof advent, each step leading to new life,I stop, look up atthe … Continue reading →

Let’s not forget to make things: bread, books, friends.—Maya Stein, from “paper, scissors, glue” ••• Wha’cha makin’ over there?Flour and yeast for bread, sure. Words and words and more wordsfor poems, for stories, of course. Smiles and hugs and “wanna … Continue reading →